The safe and efficient handling and distribution of swimming pool chemicals and the efficient removal of surface water debris from swimming pools is a constant maintenance requirement. Swimming pool chemicals, in the past, have been dispersed into swimming pools using a variety of methods including: manually broadcasting such chemicals into the pool, the use of floating devices which continually add chemicals to the water, chlorine generators and free-standing chlorinators. The manual broadcast of chemicals is inefficient and dangerous to the handler. The use of flotation devices exposes chemicals such as chlorine to damaging UV rays. Additionally, flotation devices are inefficient, unsightly, generally lack chemical stability and uniform release, and may create chemical concentration in a particular area of the pool. Further, flotation devices are dangerously accessible to children, require maintenance and generally result in a high rate of chemical deterioration. The use of a chlorine generator is expensive, requires excessive maintenance, normally has a high rate of component failure and replacement, and generally requires pool system modification. The use of free-standing chlorinators requires contact between the operator and the chemical, excessive maintenance and cleaning, and pool system modification.
Conventional swimming pools typically include a water filtration system and a method of purifying the swimming pool water. The generally accepted water filtration system includes a pump which circulates water within the swimming pool, causing the swimming pool water to pass through a variety of filters and filtering devices. One filtering device which is common to most swimming pools is a pool skimmer which is typically installed in the side wall of the swimming pool, at or about the desired water level. Conventional pool skimmer devices may generally include a "trap" installed adjacent to an opening in the side wall of the swimming pool, wherein a weir or flap door may be installed in the opening which allows surface debris to float over the weir and into the trap. Once the debris has floated over the weir, the weir closes the opening as water and debris attempt to egress from trap, thus preventing the debris from returning to the swimming pool area. Normally, a strainer can be inserted in the trap to act as a primary filter device in collecting debris in the trap. Depending upon the time of year and the amount of debris allowed to enter the pool, pool skimmer strainers may need to be emptied as often as once a day, but in any event, strainers should normally be emptied on a regular basis.
These types of strainers can also be used to store and/or disperse water purifying and pH adjusting chemicals, such as chlorine, hypochlorite, algecide, soda ash and acid used in purifying and maintaining the water chemistry of the pool water. While pool skimmer strainers may be used to store and disperse these types of chemicals, the strainers must be periodically handled by the home owner and/or a pool maintenance provider. Unfortunately, pool skimmers and strainers present a natural curiosity to children and teenagers and are often times accessed wherein the water purifying chemicals are handled in a dangerous manner.
The intentional and incidental contact and handling of chemically laden pool strainers is cause for great concern. Chemicals such as chlorine are oxidizers which remove skin oils, and cause burning and irritation to the skin. Ingestion and/or inhalation of chlorine may cause gastrointestinal damage, coughing, choking, vomiting, nausea, headache and dizziness. Muriatic acid which is generally used to lower the pH and soda ash which is generally used to increase the pH in swimming pools, may both be dispersed in the pool skimmer system. Direct human contact with muriatic acid and soda ash should be avoided, as contact with these chemicals may result in among other complications, serious burns and irritation to the skin and lining of the lungs. Thus it would be advantageous to have a strainer device for use in conventional pool skimmer systems, which could be easily cleaned, while generally avoiding direct contact with hazardous chemicals typically stored and/or dispersed through the pool skimmer system.
Additionally, it would be advantageous to have a combined swimming pool skimmer and chlorinator device which generally collects debris which floats over the weir and can easily be cleaned, and a chlorinator device which generally prevents unintentional direct human contact with the chemicals stored in the strainer.
In view of the lack of such a device which safely stores and disperses chemicals in swimming pools and provides a safe and effective apparatus for collecting and removing debris collected at the pool skimmer area, a need for the present invention exists.